Grimlock: King of the Multiverse Prologue
by Bigby the Big Bad Wolf
Summary: Prologue to my upcoming multi-crossover, Grimlock: King of the Multiverse. Ever since the Dinobots were left on Cybertron after the war, they've been trying to watch over those who remained as best they could. But when the multiverse itself is in danger, Grimlock is called upon to help defend it. Can the Dinobot leader save the day without his team to help him? And with a catch?
1. Chapter 1

**I do not not own Transformers.**

**Hello everyone. I'm the Warden and this is Superjail!**

**Err...wrong cartoon.**

**Anyway, welcome to the prologue of my latest story idea. See, my buddy SpartanPrime101 came up with an awesome multi-crossover story called Transformers Prime: Parallel Divinity. It takes place following Season 2 of Transformers Prime after Optimus destroyed the space bridge at the same time the Decepticons blew up the Autobot base. Rather than Optimus being left in a near dying state, he finds himself in a limbo where the other Primes have summoned him. Now Optimus must travel across the universe to prevent the return of Unicron. SpartanPrime101 currently has the story on hold till he gets his classes out of the way but I highly recommend putting it on alert. ********In fact, give my pal SpartanPrime101's stories a read. He's a great writer and he deserves some recognition.**

**I liked the story so much that I asked if I could write one that runs alongside his, mine focusing on my all time favorite Transformer: Grimlock. Then SpartanPrime101 and I will create a joint crossover where Grimlock and Optimus team up with each other. SpartanPrime101 gave me permission and now here is the prologue to my story. Grimlock: King of the Multiverse , (based on "Me Grimlock No Bozo. Me King". Enjoy.**

**Grimlock: King of the Multiverse**

**Prologue:**

It was nightfall yet again on the desolate world that was Cybertron, former home to the Transformers, an alien race of sentient robots capable of transforming into practically anything. Once a beautiful and glorious world, now a wasteland ravaged by eons of war between the heroic Autobots and the tyrannical Decepticons. When the planet could no longer produce enough energon, the energy needed for Transformers to live, on its own to sustain life, the majority of its inhabitants scattered across the stars, hoping to find new homes. But…some remained.

Grimlock was a high ranking commander in the Autobots. His personal team, the Lightning Strike Coalition Force, was known for their brute strength and ruthless tactics. They were the best at what they did. And what they did _wasn't _nice. Needless to say, Grimlock's methods put him at odds end with Optimus Prime, the Autobot leader. Optimus was a far more cautious leader but in Grimlock's optics, Optimus was weak.

During the final days of the war, Grimlock and his team went looking for more energon. Their search led them to the Sea of Rust, where they discovered a reservoir of energon and a strange tower…unfortunately that was not all they discovered. The team was attacked by a nasty swarm of pests called Insecticons. Despite their strength, the team was overwhelmed and brought to the Insecticons' master, a Decepticon scientist named Shockwave. Shockwave subjected Grimlock and his team to gruesome, agonizing experiments. Through the pain, Grimlock vowed revenge on Shockwave.

His chance finally came when he was approached by the Decepticon fugitive Starscream, who was hoping to recruit Grimlock as a servant. Grimlock took advantage of Starscream's overconfidence and used him to escape. Afterwards, Grimlock went on a rampage, rescuing the rest of his team and taking down Shockwave's Insecticon minions. In the process, he and his team learned the extent of what had been done to them.

Shockwave had been studying a distant planet, rich with energy and filled with organic lifeforms. Having taken in interest in some of the larger and stronger lifeforms, he decided to use their appearance as templates for new alt-modes. Because of their own impressive strength, the Coalition Force had been the perfect candidates for Shockwave's experiments. Thanks to what had been done to them, Grimlock and his team could now transform into vicious beasts with incredible combat prowess. Due to their new alt-modes, Grimlock's team decided to give themselves a new name. They chose to stick with "Dinobots"; a name originally given to them by the Insecticons as an insult.

While the rest of the Autobots left, Grimlock and his team chose to stay behind. Their nemesis Shockwave had been put in charge of Cybertron and the Dinobots refused to let their world by under his control. During their battles against Shockwave, the Dinobots discovered that many other Autobots had been left behind. Some were prisoners of Shockwave while others had simply refused to leave. Grimlock took the role of leadership upon himself.

* * *

But at the moment, as Grimlock sat upon his throne, slowly drifting into a much needed power down, he couldn't deny the frustration he was feeling.

"What do they want me to do?" Grimlock asked himself as sleep began to overcome him. "Pull some miracle out my aft? What do I look like? Primus?"

"Now that is a rather interesting thought."

Grimlock's visor flashed red as he grabbed his sword, which was propped up on the wall behind him, and leaped off his throne. "Who's there?!" He yelled, looking around the throne room. "Show yourself!"

"Calm yourself, Grimlock. I come in peace."

The voice was elderly and it spoke of wisdom. But that didn't relax Grimlock in the slightest. "Who are you? Where are you?"

Suddenly a figure stepped out of the shadows: an elderly and wise looking mech, who smiled at the Dinobot leader. "Hello, Grimlock."

Grimlock was stupefied. "You…you're Alpha Trion. What…what are you doing here?"

Alpha Trion, the wise old archivist, chuckled. "Forgive me, Grimlock. But I have something I need to speak to you about. It is of dire importance."

Grimlock did not reply, merely gazing at Alpha Trio, which the old mech took as his cue to go on.

"First off, I would like to give you my thanks for what you have done for Cybertron. While it has been a most difficult and trying time, you have led these Autobots to the best of your abilities. Optimus Prime himself would be proud."

Grimlock slowly lowered his sword but did not loosen his grip. "Get to the point."

Alpha Trion sighed and some of the warmth left his face, making him look older and more tired than usual. "There is another reason I have come to see you, Grimlock. Cybertron is in great danger. In fact, the entire multiverse is in danger."

Grimlock was on the alert the moment he heard Cybertron was in danger but Alpha Trion's last few words confused him. He tilted his head. "The _what_?"

"The multiverse," Alpha Trion explained. "Long ago, the Thirteen learned that this universe is just one of many, and it is connected to an infinite amount of other universes. Some are similar to our own, while others are vastly different."

"What does this have to do with me?" Grimlock asked, not really in the mood for some sort of philosophical lesson.

Alpha Trion looked into Grimlock's visor. "Do you recall the world that Shockwave researched?"

Grimlock's body tensed up. "Yes," He replied in a low growl.

"It is called Earth, and it is inhabited by various organic lifeforms. The dominant species of this planet are a sentient, bipedal race called humans. While they are primitive compared to us, they are an ingenuitive and adaptive race. It is this world where Optimus currently resides."

"Optimus?!" Grimlock exclaimed. He had wondered what had become of the Prime ever since the Exodus. Grimlock wondered what Optimus was up to now, and whether he knew that he had left so many bots behind.

Alpha Trion nodded. "Earth has become a new warzone between the Autobots and Decepticons. Optimus and a small team of Autobots are all that stands between Megatron's forces."

Grimlock glared as he turned around. "So Megatron_ is_ trying to conquer that planet. I knew it" He turned back to Alpha Trion. "Does Optimus need my help? _Again_?"

"In a way, yes. But not as you may think. Team Prime can handle things on Earth," Alpha Trion replied, full of confidence.

Grimlock snorted. Team Prime? And people thought Lightning Strike Coalition Force was a stupid name.

"Come, Grimlock," Alpha Trion said, now heading toward the door of the throne room. "I shall explain along the way."

Grimlock didn't budge. "Where are you going?"

"Kaon," Alpha Trion answered. "There is something important there. Something very important."

Grimlock hesitated. Kaon was the Decepticon capital. It was the perfect hiding spot for any Cons who still remained. What could be so important there? Was it some kind of trap? Sure the idea of _Alpha Trion _being a traitor was ludicrous, even for Grimlock, but desperate times can bring out the worst in people.

Alpha Trion looked over his shoulder as he prepared to step out the door. "Are you coming?" He called.

Grimlock figured he might as well take a chance. He debated whether or not to get the rest of his team but decided against it. If this did turn out to be some kind of trap, better not risk putting them all in danger.

"Lead the way," He said to the archivist.

* * *

As Grimlock and Alpha Trion made their way toward the ruined remains of Kaon, Grimlock could already feel the nostalgia building up. Back before the war, Kaon was where he fought as a gladiator. He remembered it all: the cheers of the crowd, the thrill of the fight, the satisfaction of victory. Ah, it was wonderful.

Few Autobots knew of his past but even those that didn't wondered why he chose to fight for the Autobots. He was well aware they believed his…tendencies made him better suited as a Decepticon. But while Grimlock was brutal, there was something that separated him from the Cons; he despised those who tormented others. What satisfaction was there in crushing those who couldn't defend themselves? Or slaughtering a building full of unarmed innocents?* Grimlock knew a world run by the Decepticons would be nothing but pain and suffering, and he refused to let that happen.

"Team Prime and the Decepticons have been in conflict for some time now," Alpha Trion began as they got closer to Kaon. "As usual, they are more or less locked in a stalemate."

"And Optimus lets another world pay for his weakness," Grimlock said coldly. "Just like he did Cybertron."

Alpha Trion frowned at Grimlock's words. Optimus had been his star pupil back when he was Orion Pax. While he could understand Grimlock's frustration, that did not mean he took kindly to insults about Optimus. He decided to ignore it for the moment and get on with his point.

"During one of their many conflicts, both Optimus and Megatron discovered a horrible secret about Earth. Rather than a molten core, as its inhabitants were led to believe, the Earth was actually the resting place…of Unicron."

Alpha Trion then noticed the lack of extra footsteps and turned around to see Grimlock just standing there, staring at him.

"_Unicron_?" Grimlock asked incredulously. He stomped over and jabbed Alpha Trion none too gently in the chest, nearly knocking the archivist over. "What do you take me for? Unicron is nothing but a **story**."

Alpha Trion rubbed the spot Grimlock had jabbed. "I can assure you, Grimlock, Unicron is far more than a mere story. Believe me, _I _would know."

Grimlock folded his arms, showing that he still didn't believe the ancient Transformer. "So…what happened next?"

"Both Megatron and Optimus knew the threat Unicron posed, not just to the Earth itself, but to the entire universe. They agreed to a temporary truce to end Unicron's threat. And with the power of the Matrix of Leadership, Optimus succeeded."

_Figures. _Grimlock thought to himself. _Optimus saves the day and it's a happy ending for everyone._ "So what's the problem?"

"While Optimus was able to stop Unicron's immediate return," Alpha Trion said. "Unicron's threat is far from over."

Despite his skepticism, Grimlock couldn't deny the chill suddenly running down his spine. "What?"

"Before Unicron fell into stasis, he used his power to break his spark, his very soul, into fragments, and then scattered them across the multiverse. Through his fragments, Unicron can influence corrupted souls and use them to spread chaos and destruction across all of reality and, in time, use them to reconstruct himself. But by then, he could have such an army more numerous than there are stars."

Grimlock needed a moment to take all this in. If what Alpha Trion said was true…Optimus had screwed up big time. Grimlock placed his hand against the wall of half destroyed pillar for support.

"The shards need to be destroyed," Alpha Trion said to Grimlock. "But the worlds they have been sent to are perilous. That is why I have chosen you. You, out of all the Autobots, have the great chance of survival and ending Unicron's threat."

Grimlock looked up at Alpha Trion. "Optimus screws up and _I_ need to fix things? Why can't Optimus do it himself?"

"Grimlock, this is important," Alpha Trion said sternly. "If Unicron is not all stopped, he will use his power to wipe out all life. Every universe, every aspect of reality, will perish into a completely empty void."

Grimlock noticed that Alpha Trion had avoided his question of why Optimus couldn't do it. It wasn't the responsibility that bothered him…mostly. It was the fact that Optimus apparently wasn't being mech enough to fix something_ he_ was the cause of.

"What about Cybertron?" Grimlock asked. "My team?"

"Your team must remain here, Grimlock," Alpha Trion said. "The Autobots _do _need someone to guide and protect them. And the other Dinobots are the best ones for the job."

Grimlock's fists tightened. "So I'm supposed to do this alone?"

"Not alone," Alpha Trion assured him. "The multiverse is full of individuals who can be powerful allies on your journey."

Grimlock shook his head. Suppose he actually believed all of this. He had enough of a hard time keeping what was left of Cybertron from falling apart. Could he really save the entire multiverse?

"I know I am placing an incredible burden on your shoulders, Grimlock," Alpha Trion said softly. "But if anyone has a chance of accomplishing it, it's you." He walked over to Grimlock and gently put his servo on Grimlock's arm. "Grimlock, please?"

Grimlock did reply, weighing his options down. If the old mech really hadn't gone senile; and Unicron was real and parts of him were flying around universes…Grimlock shuddered. He knew the stories of Unicron. Commanders usually told them to keep rookies in line. Grimlock himself never bothered using such tactics since he never believed Unicron existed. But if the stories were in fact true, then so many lives would suffer.

But at the time, why wasn't Optimus doing this? He was the one who caused Unicron to shatter his spark, so why wasn't he taking responsibility? And what about the Dinobots? Grimlock couldn't just leave them.

"Go for it, Grimlock."

Grimlock whirled around to see his teammates revealing themselves behind the various rubble of Kaon.

"When…when did you…?" A baffled Grimlock tried to ask.

"We heard you and Alpha Trion talking back in the throne room," Sludge said. "We followed you ever since."

"I'm impressed we managed to follow you this far," Slug said. "You're usually more alert, boss."

Grimlock mentally chided himself. He had been so wrapped up in his thoughts that he failed to notice that his team followed him. It was a careless mistake. He couldn't afford to do something like that again.

"I knew you were following us," Alpha Trion said with a smile. "But you had every right to hear this as well. What say you, Dinobots?"

The four Dinobots looked at each other before looking back at Grimlock.

"Grimlock," Swoop said. "If this multiverse thing really is in danger and you're the only one who can stop it, I say go for it."

"We can handle things here while you're gone," Snarl spoke up. "Cause if you don't…there won't be a Cybertron to look after."

"Personally I think this sounds like a bunch of mumbo jumbo," Slug said bluntly. "_But_…if the old coot's right about all this, I'd rather not take a chance."

"Plus," Sludge pointed out. "All those lives out there in the multiverse will suffer because of Unicron's fragments. They don't deserve that."

Sludge was right. Grimlock couldn't just stand by, knowing that innocent lives were in danger. He almost made that mistake once…he would not do it again.

"Fine," He said, facing Alpha Trion. "I'll do it."

Alpha Trion smiled. "Thank you, Grimlock. The multiverse will be in your debt."

"What do I need to do?" Grimlock asked.

"First we must continue on," Alpha Trion said. "We are nearly there."

"Where exactly are you heading anyway?" Swoop asked.

"To Vector Sigma," Alpha Trion replied casually.

That brought all five Dinobots to a screeching halt.

"Vector Sigma?" Snarl asked in wonder. "It exists?"

"Indeed," Alpha Trion said, amused by the Dinobots' reaction. "And all this time, Megatron never knew."

Sludge shook his head. "Incredible."

"Glad Buckethead never found it," Slug said. "Can you imagine the damage he could do if he had Vector Sigma?"

"I can," Grimlock said darkly. "Not a pretty picture. But why are we going there?"

Alpha Trion chuckled. "You'll see."

The archivist led the five to small section of the city Grimlock recognized as one of the old arenas, now merely a spot to glorify Megatron. He growled in disgust as he glared at the statue of Megatron that stood above the entrance. Alpha Trion approached a doorway that looked like a chunk of its door had been torn off. Alpha Trion merely went in through the opening. The Dinobots looked at each other. It was gonna be a tight fit. Not one for subtlety, Grimlock grabbed the remaining parts of the door and tore them off completely. One by one the other Dinobots filed in with Grimlock covering the rear.

* * *

The walkway, though more spacious than the door, was still a bit cramped. There was barely enough space for Grimlock to move, let alone fight. He noticed the various scratches along the wall. He knew those markings. Scraplet markings. Ugh. Nasty vermin. Almost as bad as the Insecticons.

The further down they went though, the more spacious it became, much to Grimlock's relief. The little party stopped at a massive and ancient door.

"Vector Sigma's behind there?" Slug asked.

"It is," Alpha Trion said, placing his hand upon the door. The intricate markings shined with light before opening, revealing a vast room. In front of the six was a bridge leading to a platform within the middle of the room. Alpha Trion entered first with the Dinobots close behind him.

"I don't see any Vector Sigma," Slug said as he looked around the room. There was nothing on the platform and he couldn't where else the legendary super computer could be.

"Vector Sigma is not so easily accessed, Slug," Alpha Trion said. "Even if Megatron were to discover its location, he couldn't use it without the key."

"And I'm guessing you have it," Snarl said.

"Well, not the original one," Alpha Trion admitted. "However…it is always wise to have a spare." He revealed a small, intricately designed key in his hand. He approached the platform and placed the key into a small slot shaped in its likeness. Suddenly the key began to alter and change into a far larger version of itself. The chamber began glowing with light and the section of the platform that Alpha Trion had placed the key in slowly began to rise. The Dinobots could feel the room tremble as the ground of the platform began to open, and three massive, brightly glowing rings rose out.

"Behold," Alpha Trion said to the Dinobots. "Vector Sigma."

The five Dinobots were left in silent awe as they took in this incredible moment.

Alpha Trion turned to the group now. "This is something I must now speak to Grimlock privately with. The rest of you must return. The Autobots will be wondering where you are."

The Dinobots looked at each other. Alpha Trion had a point but they didn't want to just leave their leader.

"Go," Grimlock told his team. "They need you."

The other Dinobots reluctantly turned around and headed back where they came.

"Wait." They stopped and turned to face their leader again. "Take care. All of you."

Slug smiled. "You too, Grimlock."

"We know you can do it," Sludge encouraged.

"Kick Unicron's aft all the way to the Pit!" Swoop cheered.

"We're counting on you, boss!" Snarl said.

Grimlock nodded. And so the other Dinobots left Vector Sigma's chamber. Grimlock turned around and noticed Alpha Trion smiling at him. "What?"

"Nothing," Alpha Trion said, the smile never leaving him. Grimlock then focused his attention on the platform with the key on it. Both it and the key were now pulsating with light.

"What's it doing?" He asked.

"Downloading information," Alpha Trion said. "Information that will be vital to you on your journey. Information about…humans."

Grimlock looked back at the archivist. "Humans?"

"We were quite fascinated with the human race, especially after we learned that their home was Unicron. So we gathered all the information about humans that we could and stored it within Vector Sigma."

"_We?"_

"That is a story for another time," Alpha Trion said. "Once the key downloads all there is to know about humans, you can use it to download the information directly into your brain module. It would be a faster and more sufficient way than me just telling you about humans."

"Why do I need to know about humans?" Grimlock asked.

"Because humans, strangely enough, are a consistent life form found throughout the multiverse," Alpha Trion explained. "There are some universes where humans do not exist but they are few in comparison to the universes that do. And also because you will need to know how the human body functions."

"And _why _would I need to know that?" Grimlock asked apprehensively.

"Because you will need to become one," Alpha Trion replied casually as he watched the information download into the key.

"What?!" Grimlock bellowed, his voice echoing through the chamber.

"It is necessary," Alpha Trion said, completely unshaken by Grimlock's outburst. "You are far less likely to cause a disturbance when among the inhabitants of other universes as a human rather than as a Cybertronian. Don't worry though; you will still be able to return to your true form."

"How do I do that?" Grimlock wondered skeptically.

"This key is far more than just a mere key to Vector Sigma," Alpha Trion answered. "It was infused with the power of Amalgamous Prime, the shapeshifter. You can use the power of the key to change yourself between your human and Cybertronian form at will. But you must make sure to keep the key close to you. Without it, you will be trapped as whatever form you are at the time."

Grimlock shuddered at that. Being stuck as himself wasn't so bad but he couldn't imagine being trapped as another lifeform for the rest of his life. He wasn't too thrilled about becoming another lifeform period. But if he really needed to become a human to avoid making a big fuss in these other universes, he would have to tolerate it.

"Fine," He relented.

Alpha Trion beamed. Then the key finally stopped glowing. "Excellent. All information regarding humans has been successfully downloaded. Now first, I am going to send the information regarding humans into your brain module. Then, all you will have to do is focus on becoming one when you are holding the key, and it shall do the rest. To return yourself to normal, simple concentrate on your Cybertronian form." He approached the key and placed his hand on it. Vector Sigma receded back into it's chamber as everything started going back into place, as if the chamber had never been disturbed. The key reverted back to it's smaller size, which Alpha Trion then picked up.

"Now to commence the download," He aimed the key at Grimlock. A beam of light erupted from the key, striking Grimlock in the head. But it didn't hurt. What it did do was cause a massive amount of images and information to appear in his head. He saw images of strange, bipedal, purely organic beings. The ones called humans. Despite the massive info dump he was getting, Grimlock couldn't help but be intrigued as the key showed him the many things humans were capable of. At first glanced they looked like a weak and, as Alpha Trion said, primitive species. Their technology was nowhere near advanced as Cybertron's was, they suffered from all kinds of problems and diseases, they quarreled with each other over the smallest of things.

And yet...and yet Grimlock could not ignore the accomplishments of humans that the key was showing him. Like Alpha Trion said, the human race was quite an unpredictable species and they showed potential for great things. While they were still a long ways away from being advanced as Cybertronians, Grimlock knew he couldn't write them off as a completely worthless race. Strangely enough, they were eerily similar to Cybertronians in more ways than one.

The information then changed to things about the human body. How humans ate, slept, cured themselves...removed internal waste, reproduced...

"An important thing to know, Grimlock," Alpha Trion said as the Dinobot continued processing the information. "Is that there will not be energon on these other worlds. You can compensate for this by replenishing yourself in your human form. The energy you build up from eating and similar actions as a human will be converted to energon when you revert to your Cybertronian form. In exchange, however, you will have a colossal appetite."

Finally the downloading was done. The light from the key ended. Grimlock wobbled for a moment before he started falling, only managing to catch himself at the last minute.

"Never...do that...again," Grimlock snarled angrily at Alpha Trion.

"There was no better way to do so, Grimlock," Alpha Trion said as he approached the Dinobot leader. "There is one other thing I need to discuss with you. Even though your human form will have not full access to your incredible strength, you will still be a powerhouse among humans, so do not simply transform back into your Cybertronian form to easily win any battle. Use the key when you are down to your last resort. However, even with the raw power of both your robot and dino modes, there **will **be opponents throughout the multiverse with powers, abilities, and yes even strength, greater than yours. Brute force alone will not be able to win all your battles. Despite the experiments Shockwave has done to you, you are by no means an idiot. To win your victories in these other worlds will take require more than strength. They will also require cleverness, teamwork, and even a bit of luck. Do not allow your arrogance to cloud your judgement or you will surely fall."

Grimlock got back up to his feet. "I'll be sure to remember that."

Alpha Trion calmly approached Grimlock. "I have done all that I can for you, Grimlock. The rest will be up to you. I wish I could supply you with additional weapons and tools to help you, but I am confident you will find plenty of those in the universes that await you. Possibly even new powers."

"New...powers?" Grimlock asked in disbelief.

Alpha Trion shrugged as he held out the key. "The possibilities are endless."

Grimlock shook his head before taking the key. "So...what now?"

"Now you begin your journey," Alpha Trion said.

"And how exactly do I do that?" Grimlock questioned.

Alpha Trion chuckled. "Surprisingly, that's the easy part."

Grimlock was about to ask him what he meant when suddenly his body began to glow. "What...what's happening?!"

"It is time for you to depart, Grimlock," Alpha Trion said. He bowed his head respectfully. "Till all are one."

Grimlock attempted to say something when his body was completely engulfed in light. When the light faded, Grimlock was gone. The chamber was empty except for Alpha Trion.

Or so it seemed.

"There he goes," A voice said from the shadows.

"Of course," Alpha Trion said pleasantly, as if the voice belonged to a dear old friend.

"I wish you could have let me talk to him," A second voice said. "It's been far too long since I have talked to another Cybertronian with a beast mode."

"I do not believe that would be wise, Onyx," Alpha Trion said. "Remember, Grimlock's beast mode was forced upon him by Shockwave. Despite not meaning any harm, you would only succeed in opening wounds that are far from closing."

"Are you sure it was wise to send_ Grimlock_, Trion?" A third voice asked. "You know what he's like. While even he understands the threat of Unicron, there is no true guarantee that he will make allies with those outside his element."

"Alchemist," Alpha Trion said gently. "Have some faith in Grimlock. We all know there is more to him than meets the eye."

"What I don't understand is what you didn't tell him that Optimus _was _on the same journey to destroy Unicron's fragments," The first voice asked._  
_

Here Alpha Trion sighed sadly. "Because Grimlock still holds much bitterness in his spark toward Optimus."

"Then why bother sending him? Why not just let Optimus do it himself? Optimus is the one with the Matrix and all those weapons you gave him. Grimlock's got nothing but his sword and his dino mode. Besides, despite how small, odds are those two are going to run into each other. Grimlock's not gonna be happy when he finds out."

"I know, Quintus," Alpha Trion admitted. "But Optimus _will _need help. Even with everything bestowed upon him, it is a great task. With Grimlock out, destroying the fragments as well, Optimus' job will be easier."

"That doesn't explain why you picked Grimlock instead of somebody who's on better terms with Optimus," Onyx said.

"I am hoping that, through his travels across the multiverse," Alpha Trion said. "Grimlock will learn to let go, or at least control, his anger. And learn to forgive Optimus. And that, when the two finally meet, they will be able to work together as they always should have."

"So basically you're mending the bridge between Optimus and Grimlock while having them get rid of Unicron at the same time," Alchemist figured out. "That's quite sneaky of you, Alpha."

Alpha Trion smiled. "I have a feeling Grimlock will still be mad at me. But if I can repair the rift between him and Optimus, then it will be worth it."

"I hope you're right, Alpha," Quintus said. "Because there's a lot more than just Unicron's fragments and the people influenced by them."

Now Alpha Trion's face became grim. "Ah yes. Unicron's heralds. Have you found anything."

"The..._Fallen_," Alchemist said with much venom in his voice. "Remains imprisoned. So Optimus and Grimlock don't need to worry about him."

"And what of Liege Maximo?" Alpha Trion asked.

"Still missing. But I don't think we need to worry about him," Alchemist said. "Unlike the Fallen,_ that_ traitor has no love for Unicron anymore than we do. But I'll still keep searching for him."

"As far as we can tell, none of the Heralds are on the move," Quintus said. "But there are two I am most concerned about."

"Ah, yes," Alpha Trion said. "_They _are two of Unicron's deadliest warriors."

"If they get involved, Optimus and Grimlock are going to have problems," Onyx said.

"I have a feeling that an encounter_ them_ will be inevitable," Alpha Trion said. "I merely hope to Primus that when the time comes, they will be ready."

"And let's hope they can actually destroy all of Unicron's fragments," Alchemist said. "For all our sakes."

Alpha Trion nodded. "May Primus watch over them and guide them on their quest."

**End of Prologue**

**So what did you all think? I hope you enjoyed it.**

***I got that part from the toy bio of Grimlock's "War Within" toy from the Dreamwave Comic.**

******Now there are some things I'm going to give you the downlow on. First, as you could tell, I'm using the Fall of Cybertron version of Grimlock, hence why he's not talking like a caveman. To be honest, I'm not sure if I'm getting his dialogue right. Sometimes he talks in full sentences and sometimes he uses short, to the point sentences similar to Rorschach from the Watchmen. To make this easier, I'm going to have him talk normally when in robot mode and then do his "Me, Grimlock" when in dino mode**

**Regarding the Key to Vector Sigma; I do have an honest reason for choosing a spare key over some other macguffin. The FoC Grimlock doesn't know anything about humans. And I figured it would be kinda weird for one Cybertronian to try and explain humans to another. So I figured giving Grimlock a crash course on humans would be the best way. And why did I chose Vector Sigma for it? Well, we don't know the full extent of what Vector Sigma can do. It is a SUPER computer after all.**

**The key allowing Grimlock to transform into a human: Well, this was also inspired by SpartanPrime101's story, where Optimus can use the original key to Vector Sigma to become a human form. I figured, if the key is going to give Grimlock info on humans, might as well let it be what turns him human to. I know it would probably have made more sense to simply grant Grimlock the power to transform, but I felt it might be better if he required an item to do so. I was half-tempted to give Grimlock an actual pretender shell like he had in G1 but decided against it.**

**As for the characters Amalgamous, Alchemist, Quintus, Onyx and such, they are characters from the Aligned Continuity group known as the Thirteen, warriors of Primus who he created to help him in battling Unicron. The total list of the Thirteen are as follows:**

**-Prima, the first Matrix-bearer and first Transformer born from Cybertron, leader of the Thirteen. He was a warrior of light who used a Star Saber with the Matrix as its hilt.**

**-Alpha Trion, the third and who can see the past, present, and future, and who holds the Covenant of Primus and the Quill. He maintains a close relationship with Primus through Vector Sigma.**

**-Solus Prime, the fourth and a female weaponsmith.**

**-Alchemist Prime, co-founder of Cybertronian civilization.**

**-Amalgamous Prime, the trickster.**

**-Liege Maximo, the manipulator.**

**-Megatronus, formerly the guardian of entropy and warrior of darkness, now a herald of Unicron known as The Fallen.**

**-Micronus, the first Mini-Con.**

**-Nexus Prime, the first and greatest combiner, unpredictable, fascinated by change, and a lighthearted prankster.**

**-Onyx, the first Transformer with a beast mode.**

**-Quintus Prime, the scientist.**

**-Vector Prime, the guardian of space and time who spent most of his life outside the multiverse, observing it and occasionally stepping in to help.**

**-The Thirteenth Prime, created last, and whose raised arm in greeting united the Thirteen.**

**(This information is directly from the Tfwiki, feel free to look it up.)**

**Now for those of you who are waiting for me to update my other stories, don't worry. I haven't forgotten them but I wanted to get this prologue out of the way first. I'm still deciding all of the worlds to send Grimlock to. Here's some that I have in mind:**

**Naruto**

**God of War**

**One Piece**

**Fairy Tail**

**Ben 10 (maybe)**

**(Unfortunately that's all I've come up with so far. Man, I really need to broaden my horizons or something.)**

**So in the meantime, I'll work on my other stories. Any suggestions for worlds to send Grimlock to would be greatly appreciated.**

**Speaking of suggestions, I'm in a rut again, my fans of Dawn of the Dinobots. I _had_ a game-plan worked out but the canon Beast Hunter comics threw it completely off. I need some help to get this story up and running again. I abandoned the original version, I don't want to abandon the remake too.**

**If any of my Ben 10/Bleach fans are reading this, I'm probably going to update my Bleach: Ultimate Alien fic first. I'm walking less of a tightrope with that one.**

**However, all updates will have to wait. My final exams are coming up this next few weeks, which means I'll definitely need to give them more attention than my stories. So basically, I'm probably not going to do any updates until Christmas break. With the way these tests are looking, it's best not to take a chance. So hopefully when the break does come, I'll try to write my stories like there's no tomorrow.**

**Thank you all. Read and review!**


	2. Author's Note: Pretender Shell or not?

**Hello, my readers. I'm glad that my prologue has gotten some decent feedback.**

**But I've been doing some thinking regarding how Grimlock becomes a human. I chose the key to vector sigma because for one, SpartanPrime101 made it that the Thirteen had granted Optimus' key the same exact power. But another reason I chose to use the key is because I thought it would be the easiest way for the Fall of Cybertron Grimlock Grimlock to learn about humans.**

**However, I'm chiding myself for not being more creative. SpartanPrime101 was okay with my idea but I really do believe I should have tried something different from his. **

**Are any of you familiar with Pretender Shells? It was a Transformers toyline a while back. Storyline wise Pretender shells were**** special external armor shells that can disguise Transformers' very nature as robots. Rather than hiding themselves as the machinery or vehicles of a world, Pretender Shells (also known as Pretender Suits) allow a robot to take on the appearance of a native life form itself.**

**On top of its exploration and infiltration uses, a shell can also function as powerful battle armor, aid in self-repair, and even function independently of its robot as a second combatant mentally controlled by its "wearer". The major drawback of the technology is that the core robot will feel whatever pain is inflicted on the shell, sometimes even more strongly than pain inflicted on the robot itself.**

**So what do you guys this? Should I stick with the key to Vector Sigma? Or give Grimlock a Pretender Shell instead?**


	3. Prologue: Pretender Version

**I do not not own Transformers.**

**Hello, everyone. This is the alternate opening to Grimlock: King of the Multiverse. In this version, Grimlock is given a Pretender shell instead of using the Key to Vector Sigma as a means of transforming into a human. I'll let you decide which version is better and I'll stick with the one you choose. **

**Grimlock: King of the Multiverse**

**Prologue:**

It was nightfall yet again on the desolate world that was Cybertron, former home to the Transformers, an alien race of sentient robots capable of transforming into practically anything. Once a beautiful and glorious world, now a wasteland ravaged by eons of war between the heroic Autobots and the tyrannical Decepticons. When the planet could no longer produce enough energon, the energy needed for Transformers to live, on its own to sustain life, the majority of its inhabitants scattered across the stars, hoping to find new homes. But…some remained.

Grimlock was a high ranking commander in the Autobots. His personal team, the Lightning Strike Coalition Force, was known for their brute strength and ruthless tactics. They were the best at what they did. And what they did _wasn't _nice. Needless to say, Grimlock's methods put him at odds end with Optimus Prime, the Autobot leader. Optimus was a far more cautious leader but in Grimlock's optics, Optimus was weak.

During the final days of the war, Grimlock and his team went looking for more energon. Their search led them to the Sea of Rust, where they discovered a reservoir of energon and a strange tower…unfortunately that was not all they discovered. The team was attacked by a nasty swarm of pests called Insecticons. Despite their strength, the team was overwhelmed and brought to the Insecticons' master, a Decepticon scientist named Shockwave. Shockwave subjected Grimlock and his team to gruesome, agonizing experiments. Through the pain, Grimlock vowed revenge on Shockwave.

His chance finally came when he was approached by the Decepticon fugitive Starscream, who was hoping to recruit Grimlock as a servant. Grimlock took advantage of Starscream's overconfidence and used him to escape. Afterwards, Grimlock went on a rampage, rescuing the rest of his team and taking down Shockwave's Insecticon minions. In the process, he and his team learned the extent of what had been done to them.

Shockwave had been studying a distant planet, rich with energy and filled with organic lifeforms. Having taken in interest in some of the larger and stronger lifeforms, he decided to use their appearance as templates for new alt-modes. Because of their own impressive strength, the Coalition Force had been the perfect candidates for Shockwave's experiments. Thanks to what had been done to them, Grimlock and his team could now transform into vicious beasts with incredible combat prowess. Due to their new alt-modes, Grimlock's team decided to give themselves a new name. They chose to stick with "Dinobots"; a name originally given to them by the Insecticons as an insult.

While the rest of the Autobots left, Grimlock and his team chose to stay behind. Their nemesis Shockwave had been put in charge of Cybertron and the Dinobots refused to let their world by under his control. During their battles against Shockwave, the Dinobots discovered that many other Autobots had been left behind. Some were prisoners of Shockwave while others had simply refused to leave. Grimlock took the role of leadership upon himself.

* * *

But at the moment, as Grimlock sat upon his throne, slowly drifting into a much needed power down, he couldn't deny the frustration he was feeling.

"What do they want me to do?" Grimlock asked himself as sleep began to overcome him. "Pull some miracle out my aft? What do I look like? Primus?"

"Now that is a rather interesting thought."

Grimlock's visor flashed red as he grabbed his sword, which was propped up on the wall behind him, and leaped off his throne. "Who's there?!" He yelled, looking around the throne room. "Show yourself!"

"Calm yourself, Grimlock. I come in peace."

The voice was elderly and it spoke of wisdom. But that didn't relax Grimlock in the slightest. "Who are you? Where are you?"

Suddenly a figure stepped out of the shadows: an elderly and wise looking mech, who smiled at the Dinobot leader. "Hello, Grimlock."

Grimlock was stupefied. "You…you're Alpha Trion. What…what are you doing here?"

Alpha Trion, the wise old archivist, chuckled. "Forgive me, Grimlock. But I have something I need to speak to you about. It is of dire importance."

Grimlock did not reply, merely gazing at Alpha Trio, which the old mech took as his cue to go on.

"First off, I would like to give you my thanks for what you have done for Cybertron. While it has been a most difficult and trying time, you have led these Autobots to the best of your abilities. Optimus Prime himself would be proud."

Grimlock slowly lowered his sword but did not loosen his grip. "Get to the point."

Alpha Trion sighed and some of the warmth left his face, making him look older and more tired than usual. "There is another reason I have come to see you, Grimlock. Cybertron is in great danger. In fact, the entire multiverse is in danger."

Grimlock was on the alert the moment he heard Cybertron was in danger but Alpha Trion's last few words confused him. He tilted his head. "The _what_?"

"The multiverse," Alpha Trion explained. "Long ago, the Thirteen learned that this universe is just one of many, and it is connected to an infinite amount of other universes. Some are similar to our own, while others are vastly different."

"What does this have to do with me?" Grimlock asked, not really in the mood for some sort of philosophical lesson.

Alpha Trion looked into Grimlock's visor. "Do you recall the world that Shockwave researched?"

Grimlock's body tensed up. "Yes," He replied in a low growl.

"It is called Earth, and it is inhabited by various organic lifeforms. The dominant species of this planet are a sentient, bipedal race called humans. While they are primitive compared to us, they are an ingenuitive and adaptive race. It is this world where Optimus currently resides."

"Optimus?!" Grimlock exclaimed. He had wondered what had become of the Prime ever since the Exodus. Grimlock wondered what Optimus was up to now, and whether he knew that he had left so many bots behind.

Alpha Trion nodded. "Earth has become a new warzone between the Autobots and Decepticons. Optimus and a small team of Autobots are all that stands between Megatron's forces."

Grimlock glared as he turned around. "So Megatron_ is_ trying to conquer that planet. I knew it" He turned back to Alpha Trion. "Does Optimus need my help? _Again_?"

"In a way, yes. But not as you may think. Team Prime can handle things on Earth," Alpha Trion replied, full of confidence.

Grimlock snorted. Team Prime? And people thought Lightning Strike Coalition Force was a stupid name.

"Come, Grimlock," Alpha Trion said, now heading toward the door of the throne room. "I shall explain along the way."

Grimlock didn't budge. "Where are you going?"

"Kaon," Alpha Trion answered. "There is something important there. Something very important."

Grimlock hesitated. Kaon was the Decepticon capital. It was the perfect hiding spot for any Cons who still remained. What could be so important there? Was it some kind of trap? Sure the idea of _Alpha Trion _being a traitor was ludicrous, even for Grimlock, but desperate times can bring out the worst in people.

Alpha Trion looked over his shoulder as he prepared to step out the door. "Are you coming?" He called.

Grimlock figured he might as well take a chance. He debated whether or not to get the rest of his team but decided against it. If this did turn out to be some kind of trap, better not risk putting them all in danger.

"Lead the way," He said to the archivist.

* * *

As Grimlock and Alpha Trion made their way toward the ruined remains of Kaon, Grimlock could already feel the nostalgia building up. Back before the war, Kaon was where he fought as a gladiator. He remembered it all: the cheers of the crowd, the thrill of the fight, the satisfaction of victory. Ah, it was wonderful.

Few Autobots knew of his past but even those that didn't wondered why he chose to fight for the Autobots. He was well aware they believed his…tendencies made him better suited as a Decepticon. But while Grimlock was brutal, there was something that separated him from the Cons; he despised those who tormented others. What satisfaction was there in crushing those who couldn't defend themselves? Or slaughtering a building full of unarmed innocents?* Grimlock knew a world run by the Decepticons would be nothing but pain and suffering, and he refused to let that happen.

"Team Prime and the Decepticons have been in conflict for some time now," Alpha Trion began as they got closer to Kaon. "As usual, they are more or less locked in a stalemate."

"And Optimus lets another world pay for his weakness," Grimlock said coldly. "Just like he did Cybertron."

Alpha Trion frowned at Grimlock's words. Optimus had been his star pupil back when he was Orion Pax. While he could understand Grimlock's frustration, that did not mean he took kindly to insults about Optimus. He decided to ignore it for the moment and get on with his point.

"During one of their many conflicts, both Optimus and Megatron discovered a horrible secret about Earth. Rather than a molten core, as its inhabitants were led to believe, the Earth was actually the resting place…of Unicron."

Alpha Trion then noticed the lack of extra footsteps and turned around to see Grimlock just standing there, staring at him.

"_Unicron_?" Grimlock asked incredulously. He stomped over and jabbed Alpha Trion none too gently in the chest, nearly knocking the archivist over. "What do you take me for? Unicron is nothing but a **story**."

Alpha Trion rubbed the spot Grimlock had jabbed. "I can assure you, Grimlock, Unicron is far more than a mere story. Believe me, _I _would know."

Grimlock folded his arms, showing that he still didn't believe the ancient Transformer. "So…what happened next?"

"Both Megatron and Optimus knew the threat Unicron posed, not just to the Earth itself, but to the entire universe. They agreed to a temporary truce to end Unicron's threat. And with the power of the Matrix of Leadership, Optimus succeeded."

_Figures. _Grimlock thought to himself. _Optimus saves the day and it's a happy ending for everyone._ "So what's the problem?"

"While Optimus was able to stop Unicron's immediate return," Alpha Trion said. "Unicron's threat is far from over."

Despite his skepticism, Grimlock couldn't deny the chill suddenly running down his spine. "What?"

"Before Unicron fell into stasis, he used his power to break his spark, his very soul, into fragments, and then scattered them across the multiverse. Through his fragments, Unicron can influence corrupted souls and use them to spread chaos and destruction across all of reality and, in time, use them to reconstruct himself. But by then, he could have such an army more numerous than there are stars."

Grimlock needed a moment to take all this in. If what Alpha Trion said was true…Optimus had screwed up big time. Grimlock placed his hand against the wall of half destroyed pillar for support.

"The shards need to be destroyed," Alpha Trion said to Grimlock. "But the worlds they have been sent to are perilous. That is why I have chosen you. You, out of all the Autobots, have the great chance of survival and ending Unicron's threat."

Grimlock looked up at Alpha Trion. "Optimus screws up and _I_ need to fix things? Why can't Optimus do it himself?"

"Grimlock, this is important," Alpha Trion said sternly. "If Unicron is not all stopped, he will use his power to wipe out all life. Every universe, every aspect of reality, will perish into a completely empty void."

Grimlock noticed that Alpha Trion had avoided his question of why Optimus couldn't do it. It wasn't the responsibility that bothered him…mostly. It was the fact that Optimus apparently wasn't being mech enough to fix something_ he_ was the cause of.

"What about Cybertron?" Grimlock asked. "My team?"

"Your team must remain here, Grimlock," Alpha Trion said. "The Autobots _do _need someone to guide and protect them. And the other Dinobots are the best ones for the job."

Grimlock's fists tightened. "So I'm supposed to do this alone?"

"Not alone," Alpha Trion assured him. "The multiverse is full of individuals who can be powerful allies on your journey."

Grimlock shook his head. Suppose he actually believed all of this. He had enough of a hard time keeping what was left of Cybertron from falling apart. Could he really save the entire multiverse?

"I know I am placing an incredible burden on your shoulders, Grimlock," Alpha Trion said softly. "But if anyone has a chance of accomplishing it, it's you." He walked over to Grimlock and gently put his servo on Grimlock's arm. "Grimlock, please?"

Grimlock did reply, weighing his options down. If the old mech really hadn't gone senile; and Unicron was real and parts of him were flying around universes…Grimlock shuddered. He knew the stories of Unicron. Commanders usually told them to keep rookies in line. Grimlock himself never bothered using such tactics since he never believed Unicron existed. But if the stories were in fact true, then so many lives would suffer.

But at the time, why wasn't Optimus doing this? He was the one who caused Unicron to shatter his spark, so why wasn't he taking responsibility? And what about the Dinobots? Grimlock couldn't just leave them.

"Go for it, Grimlock."

Grimlock whirled around to see his teammates revealing themselves behind the various rubble of Kaon.

"When…when did you…?" A baffled Grimlock tried to ask.

"We heard you and Alpha Trion talking back in the throne room," Sludge said. "We followed you ever since."

"I'm impressed we managed to follow you this far," Slug said. "You're usually more alert, boss."

Grimlock mentally chided himself. He had been so wrapped up in his thoughts that he failed to notice that his team followed him. It was a careless mistake. He couldn't afford to do something like that again.

"I knew you were following us," Alpha Trion said with a smile. "But you had every right to hear this as well. What say you, Dinobots?"

The four Dinobots looked at each other before looking back at Grimlock.

"Grimlock," Swoop said. "If this multiverse thing really is in danger and you're the only one who can stop it, I say go for it."

"We can handle things here while you're gone," Snarl spoke up. "Cause if you don't…there won't be a Cybertron to look after."

"Personally I think this sounds like a bunch of mumbo jumbo," Slug said bluntly. "_But_…if the old coot's right about all this, I'd rather not take a chance."

"Plus," Sludge pointed out. "All those lives out there in the multiverse will suffer because of Unicron's fragments. They don't deserve that."

Sludge was right. Grimlock couldn't just stand by, knowing that innocent lives were in danger. He almost made that mistake once…he would not do it again.

"Fine," He said, facing Alpha Trion. "I'll do it."

Alpha Trion smiled. "Thank you, Grimlock. The multiverse will be in your debt."

"What do I need to do?" Grimlock asked.

"First we must continue on," Alpha Trion said. "We are nearly there."

"Where exactly are you heading anyway?" Swoop asked.

"To Vector Sigma," Alpha Trion replied casually.

That brought all five Dinobots to a screeching halt.

"Vector Sigma?" Snarl asked in wonder. "It exists?"

"Indeed," Alpha Trion said, amused by the Dinobots' reaction. "And all this time, Megatron never knew."

Sludge shook his head. "Incredible."

"Glad Buckethead never found it," Slug said. "Can you imagine the damage he could do if he had Vector Sigma?"

"I can," Grimlock said darkly. "Not a pretty picture. But why are we going there?"

Alpha Trion chuckled. "You'll see."

The archivist led the five to small section of the city Grimlock recognized as one of the old arenas, now merely a spot to glorify Megatron. He growled in disgust as he glared at the statue of Megatron that stood above the entrance. Alpha Trion approached a doorway that looked like a chunk of its door had been torn off. Alpha Trion merely went in through the opening. The Dinobots looked at each other. It was gonna be a tight fit. Not one for subtlety, Grimlock grabbed the remaining parts of the door and tore them off completely. One by one the other Dinobots filed in with Grimlock covering the rear.

* * *

The walkway, though more spacious than the door, was still a bit cramped. There was barely enough space for Grimlock to move, let alone fight. He noticed the various scratches along the wall. He knew those markings. Scraplet markings. Ugh. Nasty vermin. Almost as bad as the Insecticons.

The further down they went though, the more spacious it became, much to Grimlock's relief. The little party stopped at a massive and ancient door.

"Vector Sigma's behind there?" Slug asked.

"It is," Alpha Trion said, placing his hand upon the door. The intricate markings shined with light before opening, revealing a vast room. In front of the six was a bridge leading to a platform within the middle of the room. Alpha Trion entered first with the Dinobots close behind him.

"I don't see any Vector Sigma," Slug said as he looked around the room. There was nothing on the platform and he couldn't where else the legendary super computer could be.

"Vector Sigma is not so easily accessed, Slug," Alpha Trion said. "Even if Megatron were to discover its location, he couldn't use it without the key."

"And I'm guessing you have it," Snarl said.

"Well, not the original one," Alpha Trion admitted. "However…it is always wise to have a spare." He revealed a small, intricately designed key in his hand. He approached the platform and placed the key into a small slot shaped in its likeness. Suddenly the key began to alter and change into a far larger version of itself. The chamber began glowing with light and the section of the platform that Alpha Trion had placed the key in slowly began to rise. The Dinobots could feel the room tremble as the ground of the platform began to open, and three massive, brightly glowing rings rose out.

"Behold," Alpha Trion said to the Dinobots. "Vector Sigma."

The five Dinobots were left in silent awe as they took in this incredible moment.

Alpha Trion turned to the group now. "This is something I must now speak to Grimlock privately with. The rest of you must return. The Autobots will be wondering where you are."

The Dinobots looked at each other. Alpha Trion had a point but they didn't want to just leave their leader.

"Go," Grimlock told his team. "They need you."

The other Dinobots reluctantly turned around and headed back where they came.

"Wait." They stopped and turned to face their leader again. "Take care. All of you."

Slug smiled. "You too, Grimlock."

"We know you can do it," Sludge encouraged.

"Kick Unicron's aft all the way to the Pit!" Swoop cheered.

"We're counting on you, boss!" Snarl said.

Grimlock nodded. And so the other Dinobots left Vector Sigma's chamber. Grimlock turned around and noticed Alpha Trion smiling at him. "What?"

"Nothing," Alpha Trion said, the smile never leaving him. Grimlock then focused his attention on the platform with the key on it. Both it and the key were now pulsating with light.

"What's it doing?" He asked.

"Downloading information," Alpha Trion said. "Information that will be vital to you on your journey. Information about…humans."

Grimlock looked back at the archivist. "Humans?"

"We were quite fascinated with the human race, especially after we learned that their home was Unicron. So we gathered all the information about humans that we could and stored it within Vector Sigma."

"_We?"_

"That is a story for another time," Alpha Trion said. "Once the key downloads all there is to know about humans, you can use it to download the information directly into your brain module. It would be a faster and more sufficient way than me just telling you about humans."

"Why do I need to know about humans?" Grimlock asked.

"Because humans, strangely enough, are a consistent life form found throughout the multiverse," Alpha Trion explained. "There are some universes where humans do not exist but they are few in comparison to the universes that do. And also because you will need to know how the human body functions."

"And _why _would I need to know that?" Grimlock asked apprehensively.

"Because you will need to become one," Alpha Trion replied casually as he watched the information download into the key.

"What?!" Grimlock bellowed, his voice echoing through the chamber.

"It is necessary," Alpha Trion said, completely unshaken by Grimlock's outburst. "You are far less likely to cause a disturbance when among the inhabitants of other universes as a human rather than as a Cybertronian. Don't worry though; you will still be able to return to your true form."

"How do I do that?" Grimlock wondered skeptically.

"All in good time, Grimlock," Alpha Trion said. "First you learn about humans."

"Fine," Grimlock relented.

Alpha Trion beamed. Then the key finally stopped glowing. "Excellent. All information regarding humans has been successfully downloaded. Now, I am going to send the information regarding humans into your brain module." He approached the key and placed his hand on it. Vector Sigma receded back into it's chamber as everything started going back into place, as if the chamber had never been disturbed. The key reverted back to it's smaller size, which Alpha Trion then picked up.

"Commencing the download," He aimed the key at Grimlock. A beam of light erupted from the key, striking Grimlock in the head. But it didn't hurt. What it did do was cause a massive amount of images and information to appear in his head. He saw images of strange, bipedal, purely organic beings. The ones called humans. Despite the massive info dump he was getting, Grimlock couldn't help but be intrigued as the key showed him the many things humans were capable of. At first glanced they looked like a weak and, as Alpha Trion said, primitive species. Their technology was nowhere near advanced as Cybertron's was, they suffered from all kinds of problems and diseases, they quarreled with each other over the smallest of things.

And yet...and yet Grimlock could not ignore the accomplishments of humans that the key was showing him. Like Alpha Trion said, the human race was quite an unpredictable species and they showed potential for great things. While they were still a long ways away from being advanced as Cybertronians, Grimlock knew he couldn't write them off as a completely worthless race. Strangely enough, they were eerily similar to Cybertronians in more ways than one.

The information then changed to things about the human body. How humans ate, slept, cured themselves...removed internal waste, reproduced...

Finally the downloading was done. The light from the key ended. Grimlock wobbled for a moment before he started falling, only managing to catch himself at the last minute.

"Never...do that...again," Grimlock snarled angrily at Alpha Trion.

"There was no better way to do so, Grimlock," Alpha Trion said as he approached the Dinobot leader.

"So...now that I know about humans," Grimlock said as he slowly got back up to his feet. "How exactly do I become one?"

Alpha Trion smiled. "Well, you don't become a human exactly. More like..._pretending _to be one."

"Hmm?" Grimlock stared at the old archivist in confusion.

Alpha Trion smiled and gave Grimlock a knowing look. "Behold, Grimlock."

Suddenly while light filled Grimlock's vision, temporarily blinding him. He brought a hand up to his optics but he still couldn't see. Then as fast as the light appeared, it vanished. Grimlock was about to ask how Alpha Trion did that light show but the words died in his processor at the strange sight before him.

It was...well Grimlock wasn't sure what it was. It was as tall as him and covered in armor, holding a sword much like his own, with its back turned to him. Grimlock moved around to see what the front looked like and froze. "Wha-what the?!"

Staring back at him was not the face of a Cybertronian at all. It was a human face!

"What is this supposed to be?" Grimlock asked Alpha Trion, pointing to the...the..._thing._

"This is a Pretender Shell," Alpha Trion explained.

"A what?!" Grimlock asked, though still visibly shaken and staring at his human faced duplicate.

"A Pretender Shell," Alpha Trion said again. "A special and unique form of Cybertronian technology. Quite simply it is a special external armor that can disguise the user as someone or something else. It was based off of regular transformers attempting to mimic the power of the Shifters*. This Pretender Shell in particular has been modified to allow the user, in this case you, to take the form of a human. A shell can also function as powerful battle armor and can even aid in self-repair. The major drawback of this technology is that you will feel whatever pain is inflicted on the shell. Though with your incredible durability, it would take something powerful to damage you."

Grimlock looked over at the Pretender Shell. Making him even more powerful? Self-repair? Despite the...uneasiness coming from the thing, the benefits sounded pretty good.

"This Pretender Shell will also enable you to eat and digest food as normal humans do," Alpha Trion went on. "The reason for this is because other universes do not have energon like ours does. Your shell will be able to convert the energy you gain from things like eating into energon for your normal body."

Hmm. Sounded helpful.

"There is one other thing I need to discuss with you. Throughout the multiverse there **will **be enemies more powerful than you. Brute force alone will not be enough to win all your battles. Despite the experiments Shockwave has done to you, you are by no means an idiot. To win your victories in these other worlds will take require more than strength. They will also require cleverness, teamwork, and even a bit of luck. Do not allow your arrogance to cloud your judgement or you will surely fall."

Grimlock stared at the Pretender Shell. "I'll be sure to remember that."

Alpha Trion calmly approached Grimlock. "I have done all that I can for you, Grimlock. The rest will be up to you. I wish I could supply you with additional weapons and tools to help you, but I am confident you will find plenty of those in the universes that await you. Possibly even new powers."

"New...powers?" Grimlock asked in disbelief.

Alpha Trion shrugged as he held out the key. "The possibilities are endless."

Grimlock shook his head before taking the key. "So...what now? How do I use this...Pretender Shell?"

"Step into it," Alpha Trion answered.

Grimlock looked at him like he had suddenly grown a second head. "What?"

"Put your hand on the Pretender Shell," The elder mech instructed.

Not having a good feeling about this, Grimlock put his hand on the Shell's shoulder. Suddenly a hissing noise escaped from the Shell, causing Grimlock to take a cautious step back, wondering what was going on. Suddenly the Pretender Shell seemed to split in half. The front and back of the shell were now separated from the other, leaving a massive gap between them.

"Like that?" Grimlock asked.

"Like that," Alpha Trion said curtly.

Grimlock walked behind the Pretender Shell again, getting a good look at it. The inside was weird. There was no inner circuitry, no form of mechanism whatsoever as far as he could see. Maybe it was all insides the halves or something.

"You sure this will work?" He asked Alpha Trion.

"It will," Alpha Trion reassured him. "Just do it."

Well, here went nothing. Grimlock stepped in between the two halves of the shell. No sooner did he that the two halves slammed shut on him. The shell began glowing with a bright light as it suddenly began shrinking. Smaller and smaller it grew until it was smaller than Alpha Trion and around the same size as a large human. A moment passed and then nothing. Just then finger on the right hand twitched, both eyes blinked.

"How do you feel, Grimlock?" Alpha Trion asked.

"Th...this...feels...weird," Grimlock managed to say with the mouth of the Pretender Shell. He looked up and his eyes widened at seeing Alpha Trion. "I shrunk!"

"Of course," Alpha Trion said humorously. "Humans are small compared to us. I'm sure the information you gained from Vector Sigma showed you that."

Grimlock growled as he glared at Alpha Trion but the elder was not intimidated.

"Now you begin your journey," Alpha Trion said.

"And how exactly do I do that?" Grimlock questioned.

Alpha Trion chuckled. "Surprisingly, that's the easy part."

Grimlock was about to ask him what he meant when suddenly his body began to glow. "What...what's happening?!"

"It is time for you to depart, Grimlock," Alpha Trion said. He bowed his head respectfully. "Till all are one."

Grimlock attempted to say something when his body was completely engulfed in light. When the light faded, Grimlock was gone. The chamber was empty except for Alpha Trion.

Or so it seemed.

"There he goes," A voice said from the shadows.

"Of course," Alpha Trion said pleasantly, as if the voice belonged to a dear old friend.

"I wish you could have let me talk to him," A second voice said. "It's been far too long since I have talked to another Cybertronian with a beast mode."

"I do not believe that would be wise, Onyx," Alpha Trion said. "Remember, Grimlock's beast mode was forced upon him by Shockwave. Despite not meaning any harm, you would only succeed in opening wounds that are far from closing."

"Are you sure it was wise to send_ Grimlock_, Trion?" A third voice asked. "You know what he's like. While even he understands the threat of Unicron, there is no true guarantee that he will make allies with those outside his element."

"Alchemist," Alpha Trion said gently. "Have some faith in Grimlock. We all know there is more to him than meets the eye."

"What I don't understand is what you didn't tell him that Optimus _was _on the same journey to destroy Unicron's fragments," The first voice asked._  
_

Here Alpha Trion sighed sadly. "Because Grimlock still holds much bitterness in his spark toward Optimus."

"Then why bother sending him? Why not just let Optimus do it himself? Optimus is the one with the Matrix and all those weapons you gave him. Grimlock's got nothing but his sword and his dino mode. Besides, despite how small, odds are those two are going to run into each other. Grimlock's not gonna be happy when he finds out."

"I know, Quintus," Alpha Trion admitted. "But Optimus _will _need help. Even with everything bestowed upon him, it is a great task. With Grimlock out, destroying the fragments as well, Optimus' job will be easier."

"That doesn't explain why you picked Grimlock instead of somebody who's on better terms with Optimus," Onyx said.

"I am hoping that, through his travels across the multiverse," Alpha Trion said. "Grimlock will learn to let go, or at least control, his anger. And learn to forgive Optimus. And that, when the two finally meet, they will be able to work together as they always should have."

"So basically you're mending the bridge between Optimus and Grimlock while having them get rid of Unicron at the same time," Alchemist figured out. "That's quite sneaky of you, Alpha."

Alpha Trion smiled. "I have a feeling Grimlock will still be mad at me. But if I can repair the rift between him and Optimus, then it will be worth it."

"I hope you're right, Alpha," Quintus said. "Because there's a lot more than just Unicron's fragments and the people influenced by them."

Now Alpha Trion's face became grim. "Ah yes. Unicron's heralds. Have you found anything."

"The..._Fallen_," Alchemist said with much venom in his voice. "Remains imprisoned. So Optimus and Grimlock don't need to worry about him."

"And what of Liege Maximo?" Alpha Trion asked.

"Still missing. But I don't think we need to worry about him," Alchemist said. "Unlike the Fallen,_ that_ traitor has no love for Unicron anymore than we do. But I'll still keep searching for him."

"As far as we can tell, none of the Heralds are on the move," Quintus said. "But there are two I am most concerned about."

"Ah, yes," Alpha Trion said. "_They _are two of Unicron's deadliest warriors."

"If they get involved, Optimus and Grimlock are going to have problems," Onyx said.

"I have a feeling that an encounter_ them_ will be inevitable," Alpha Trion said. "I merely hope to Primus that when the time comes, they will be ready."

"And let's hope they can actually destroy all of Unicron's fragments," Alchemist said. "For all our sakes."

Alpha Trion nodded. "May Primus watch over them and guide them on their quest."

**End of Prologue**

**So what did you all think? I know I probably could've done better on how the shell was introduced and all but...I'm not very good when it comes to describing things.**

**But all in all, which version do you think is better? The Key version or the Pretender version?**

***Shifters are Transformers believed to have descended from Amalgamous Prime. Makeshift from Transformers Prime is a Shifter.**


End file.
